Display rack



W. A. RYAN DISPLAY RACK Sept. 26, 1939.

Filed July 11, 1938 INVENTOR ATTORNEY A Patented Sept. 26, 1939 UNITEDSTATES PATENT OFFICE 2Claims.

This invention relates to display racks and is particularly. adapted tobe used in combination with cartons holding merchandise.

. The primary object of the invention is to pro- 5 {vide a rack forholding cartons, one above the other in the displaying of merchandisefor sale.

A further object of my invention is to provide a display rack that canbe made from but one piece bf material and folded.

Aetill further object of my invention is to provide a rack that can bearranged with similar racks in different positions or designs ofdisplay.

And a still further object of my invention is to design arack in such away as to incorporate sign 16 work and advertising as part of the rack.

These and other incidental objects will be apparent in the drawing,specification and claims to follow.

Referring to the drawing:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a one piece double rack, havingmerchandise cartons stacked therein on one side and having no cartons inthe opposite side, for convenience of illustration.

Figure 2 shows the rack in a semi-folded or 25 knocked down position.

Figure 3 shows the same rack having one carton in position for holdingthe rack in display position.

Figure 4 is the type of rack shown in Figure 3,

30 secured to another similar rack for convenience of special display.

Figure 5 shows a plan view of the type of rack shown in Figure 4 withthe cartons of merchan- 'dise in place and other merchandise stacked 35therebetween.

In the drawing:

l is the main body of the display rack having end pieces 2 formedintegral therewith and a front portion 3 binding the end portionstogether. A 40 sign 4 is cut from the main body I of the rack and may beof any shape or design.

Referring to Figure 1, the body I is folded or reversed at 5 forming anopposite wall 6 for providing a second rack having end pieces 1 formed45 therewith. In order to complete my display rack lthe cartons 8 mustbe in place, as shown in Figure 1, this gives the rack rigidity andstability. The lower cartons may be empty or dummies for the purpose ofcompleting a display with a small 50 amount of merchandise. This is afeature that is highly important, as this iii/D 191? rack combinationwill permit a small merchant to display the merchandise properly withouthaving a large stock involved. The upper cartons 9 may be cut away, asshown, displaying the goods "I. One of the advantages of this type ofdisplay is that the car- ,tons themselves form the display and part ofthe ,:rack, but the body portion of the rack will maintain the displayin a fixed position relative to the display room, even though themerchandise becomes low, as the nature of the rack provides a fulldisplay regardless of the amount of merchandise in stock just so long asthe upper cartons can 10 be maintained with the merchandise as shown *atH).

Referring to Figure 2, the skeleton of the rack, when not being used incombination with the cartons, may be folded in a flat' package requiringbut little storage space.

Single carton displays can be maintained as shown in Figure 3. Onecarton l l is shown in place within the rack l2. It will be noticed thatthecartons hold the end walls l3 and the front wall I in a. displayposition. Single cartons, as shown, may be tied together with a hingedportion I5 and displayed as shown in Figure 5, providing a space forstacking merchandise l6 therebetween, in other words the display racksmay be positioned at an angle to one another for convenience of display,or they may be maintained end to end, if so desired in this design orcompletely hinged back, as shown by the dotted position in Figure 5,giving display similar as that shown in Figure 1.

I do not wish to be limited to this particular mechanical construction,as other forms of con- -'struction may be used, still coming within thescope of the claims to follow, wherein the cartons holding themerchandise are combined with the skeleton rack, completing a displaythat can be maintained at a desired location.

Whatis claimed to be new is:

1. A display rack comprising a backing, side walls at the respectiveside edges of the backing, 40 and extending from the respective ends toa position short of the transverse median line of the backing, and anarrow strip connecting the lower portions of the opposed side walls ateach end of thebacking, the space between the side walls, strip andbacking at the ends of the side walls being fully open.

2. A construction as defined in claim 1, wherein the backing is'foldablealong the transverse median line to provide opposite integrallyconnected display racks.

wILi. A. RYAN.

